Drive-chain.



' an-E Tgns CHRISTOPHER w. LEVALL Y; or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN;

iCHAlN.

sr'ncrrrcnrxon formingpart of Letters Patent Nb. 658,017, datedSeptember 18, 1900.

Application filed January 20 I 1900- Serial No. 2,160. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER W. Ln-- VALLEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drive- Chains,of which the following is a specification.

In the use of drive-chains which are composed, essentially, of separateside bars and connecting cross-bolts, which constitute the end bars ofthe links, much difficulty has heretofore been experienced in keepingthe articulating parts of the link tight and in permitting thetightening of these parts when from wear or otherwise. they becomeundesirably loose.

My invention has for its object to produce a drive-chain of thecharacter above suggested in which it is possible to easily tighten thechain and which shall not be liable to become loose by reason of theparts working out of the positions to which they may have been set.

I have in the accompanying drawings illustrated myinvention applied to aform of chain containing certain improvements of my own which formed thesubject-matter of other applications for patent, and I therefore do notin this application claim any features except those specifically setforth in the claims, other novel features of the chain shown beingclaimed in other applications.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of two links of the chainembodying my present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1, the connecting crossbolt being'omitted for thepurpose of clearness. Figs. 3 and 4 are side views of the opposite sidesor edges of the chain.

Referring to the drawings, 2 2 indicate the side bars of the chain; 3,theconnecting cross-bolts,which pass through apertures 4 in the ends ofthe side bars, the opposite ends of the side bars lapping over oneanother, as indicated in Fig. 1, andthe cross-bolts passing through theapertures in the ends of the side bars of the two adjacent links andconstituting the pivot upon which the parts turn or articulate.

5 indicates a spacing barrel or sleeve, which surrounds the cross-bolts3 between the ends of the side bars and serves to keep them properlyspaced apart.

The preferred form'of cross or connectingbolts is that shown, andconsists of a bolt havone end and with its opposite end screw threadedtoreceive a nut 7, which is likewise preferably square in outline.

- The side bars, which arearranged upon one side of the chain, areprovided, adjacent to nearest the said holes and'are situated at suchdistance therefrom as to permit the faces or edges of the bolt heads 6to rest close against the stops, which stops therefore operate toprevent the turning of the bolts. Upon the outer faces of the oppositeside bars and adjacent to the apertures or holes therein for thecross-bolts there are arranged the beveled stops 9. These stops areformed with flat or plain faces adjacent to the apertures and with whichthe sides or faces of the nuts 7 are adapted to engage, and they operatetherefore to prevent the nuts from turning upon the bolts. The outerfaces of each stop 9 is beveled or inclined, as indicated in Fig. 2, insuch direction that when the nut is being screwed upon the cross-boltthe corners of the nut ride over the said stop, passing up the inclinedface thereof. On the other hand, when it is attempted to turn the nut inthe opposite direction or back it off the bolt the side face or edge ofthe nut comes in engagement with the stop at its thickest portion, whichthus operates as an obstruction to prevent the backward turning of thenut, except when great force is applied, as by the use of a long-handlewrench.

The advantages of thisinvention will be apparent. The stop 8, engagingwith the head of. the bolt, holds the bolt securely against turning ineither direction, while the stop 9 will permit of the nut being screwedupon the bolt, but will operate to prevent its working in the oppositedirection or being easily or accidentally turned, so as to loosen theparts. If through wear or otherwise the parts of the chain become loose,it is only necessary to turn the nut sufficiently far upon the bolt tocause the necessary tightness of parts, care being taken that it shallsojar pass over the stop 9 as to permit its side face to rest againstthe parallel straight face of the stop.

ing a head 6, preferably square in outline at.

the holes or apertures 4 therein, with stops 8. These stops areplain-faced along the edges It will be understood that in chains of thecharacter described, and indicated in the drawings, there is always andnecessarily a certain amount of looseness of parts, so that they may becrowded undesirably close together during the moment the nut is beingforced across the inclined face of the stop 9, but will come back to thedesirable working conditions as soon as the nut passes the thickestportion of the stop and lies against the plain or straight face thereof.

It will be understood that this invention is applicable to chains of thecharacter describedthat is, having side bars and cross connecting-bolts,these parts being arranged to freely articulate even though such partsdiffer in details of construction from the form of chain indicated inthe drawings. I therefore do not desire my invention to be limited tothe particular form of chain to which I have represented it as beingapplied.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A drive-chain consisting of side bars and connecting cross-bolts andnuts engaging with the cross-bolts by screw-threads, certain of saidbars having stops with which the heads of the bolts are adapted toengage and which operate to prevent the bolts from turning, and

the opposite side bars being provided with inclined or beveled stopswith which the nuts on the bolts engage,substantially as set forth'.

2. In a drive-chain the combination of the side bars having end portionswhich lap past each other, the headed cross-bolts which pass through thesaid lapping portions of the side bars and unite them, and the nuts uponthe said bolts, certain of the side bars being pro vided' with stops, 8,with which the heads of the bolts engage, and certain others withbeveled or inclined stops, 9, with which the nuts engage, substantiallyas set forth.

3. In a drive-chain the combination of the side bars having end portionswhich lap past each other, connecting cross-bolts, having heads, thenuts upon the bolts, and the barrels or sleeves which surround the boltsand arranged between the side bars, certain of the side bars havingstops with which the heads of the bolts engage and which prevent themfrom turning, the opposite side bars being provided with inclined stops9, with which the nuts are adapted to engage, substantially as setforth.

CHRISTOPHER WV. LEVALLEY.

Witnesses:

W. O. FRYE, JOSEPH LOCI-IS.

